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Gillibrand defends Feinstein amid resignation calls: ‘She will come back to work’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:28 GMT

(CNN) — Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York on Sunday defended Dianne Feinstein and her ability to serve in the Senate amid calls from some Democrats for the longest-serving female US senator in history to step down.Gillibrand, who serves with Feinstein on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union” that her colleague from California still asks “some of the most searing, pointed questions of anyone on that committee” and she considers her a “role model and a mentor.”Feinstein was hospitalized in March for shingles and has yet to return to the Senate. She said last week that she had asked to be “temporarily” replaced on the Senate Judiciary Committee while she is recovering but remains committed to returning to the chamber.“We have had so many senators who have had illnesses, whether it’s Mitch McConnell’s illnesses or senators who have had strokes,” Gi...

High school star among 4 killed in Alabama party shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:28 GMT

By JEFF AMY and KIM CHANDLER (Associated Press)DADEVILLE, Ala. (AP) — A high school senior who planned to play college football was celebrating at his sister’s 16th birthday party Saturday night in Alabama when gunfire killed him and three other people and wounded several others.Police were gathering evidence Sunday at a dance studio where the party was held in downtown Dadeville. They did not immediately say if a suspect was in custody, or if they knew more about any motivation.Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, a Dadeville High School senior who had committed to Jacksonville State University, was celebrating at his sister Alexis’ party before he was shot to death, his grandmother Annette Allen told The Montgomery Advertiser. “He was a very, very humble child. Never messed with anybody. Always had a smile on his face,” Allen told the newspaper, calling it “a million-dollar smile.”Dowdell’s mother was among those hurt in the shoo...

Whitlock spins gem, leads Red Sox past Angels 2-1

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:28 GMT

The Red Sox bullpen was in bad shape. Zack Kelly was already on the injured list and Chris Martin was set to join him. Kenley Jansen was down after pitching back-to-back nights and John Schreiber, Josh Winckowski and Kutter Crawford were all unavailable as well.With the staff so short Alex Cora said pregame they needed their starter to go deep, and Garrett Whitlock took his manager’s words to heart and delivered.Whitlock pitched the best game by a Red Sox starting pitcher this season, allowing one run over seven innings in Boston’s 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels. Whitlock allowed three hits and two walks with five strikeouts and faced the minimum 15 batters from the third to the seventh inning. In doing so he became the first Red Sox starter to record a quality start on the year, and not a moment too soon.“We needed an outing like that,” Cora said. “We were very short.”Whitlock was highly efficient throughout the afternoon, working quickly to...

Feeling the heat: Drought impacts Sriracha hot sauce supply

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:28 GMT

LOS ANGELES — As the weather in Southern California heats up this summer, residents may need to come up with backup options for bringing heat to their favorite dishes.Huy Fong Foods Inc., producer of Sriracha hot sauce, said last summer’s drought in Mexico continues to hamper its ability to churn out the iconic green-capped bottles of its popular spicy condiment.“Unfortunately, we are still experiencing a shortage of raw material,” the Irwindale, California, company said in a statement, referring to the chiles from Mexico that have ended up in short supply because of the bad weather conditions.Huy Fong Foods typically uses about 50,000 tons of chiles a year in producing its three condiments, which also include a chile-garlic sauce and a sambal oelek.Though some production resumed last fall, the company still has a “limited supply that continues to affect our production,” the statement said. And it’s not clear when chiles may become more readily av...

Here we go! ‘Mario’ tops charts again

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:28 GMT

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” scored the best second weekend ever for an animated movie in North American theaters with $87 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.The family-friendly Universal release dropped a slim 41% from its record-making opening weekend.With $94 million from international showings, “Mario’s” global total now stands at a staggering $678 million, surpassing “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” to become biggest film of 2023 in just two weekends.“There are not enough adjectives to describe the enormity of this box office performance,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comsore.For most blockbusters, second weekends are usually down by about 60%, making “Mario’s” 41% drop especially noteworthy. According to Comscore, only a handful of films that opened over $100 million have had less of a fall, including “Shrek 2,” “Frozen 2,” 200...

Ticker: Cleanup begins after freight derailment; Spotify drops name-that-tune game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:28 GMT

Canadian Pacific Railway is leading cleanup and track repairs following a freight train derailment and fire in Maine, officials Sunday.Three rail workers were treated and released from a hospital after three locomotive engines and six train cars carrying lumber and electrical wiring went off the track Saturday in Somerset County, officials said.Canadian Pacific is leading cleanup, salvage and repair, working with state agencies and local fire and rescue, said Jim Britt from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. Workers were removing derailed locomotives and rail cars, cleaning up crash debris and repairing the rail line. It was unclear how long the process would take.Some hazardous materials were on the train, officials said, but first responders determined they were not at risk of leaking or catching fire. There was no threat to public safety, officials said.A preliminary assessment put the blame for the derailment on a washout caused by melting ice and de...

Eastern Oregon police officer shot, killed, suspect sought

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:28 GMT

NYSSA, Ore. (AP) — Authorities were looking for a man they believe shot and killed an eastern Oregon police officer.Nyssa officer Joseph Johnson, 43, died Saturday night after a man he had pursued in a car shot at him. The man fled and Johnson was dead when sheriff’s officers and medical workers arrived, The Oregonian reported. Johnson had been responding to reports the man was making threats and damaging property, the Malheur County District Attorney’s office said in a statement Sunday.Nyssa, population 3,200, is near the Idaho state line about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of Boise, Idaho.The Associated Press

Ontario Liberal Party to announce new leader on Dec. 2

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:28 GMT

The Ontario Liberal Party is set to announce its new leader on Dec. 2.The party’s executive announced Sunday that it has set out the rules and timelines for the race to replace Steven Del Duca.He resigned after the Liberals did not win enough seats in the 2022 election to have official party status at the legislature for the second campaign in a row.Several would-be candidates have said they are exploring leadership bids, including MP Nate Erskine-Smith, MP and former Ontario cabinet minister Yasir Naqvi, and current provincial caucus member and former MP Ted Hsu.The party says it will soon announce the opening date for official candidate registration, but the deadline has been set as Sept. 5 and candidates must have an entry fee of $100,000 and a refundable $25,000 deposit.Party members will cast their votes by ranked ballot on Nov. 25 and 26, with the party set to announce round-by-round results the following weekend.

Olivia Chow to make announcement amid speculation she will enter Toronto mayor race

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:28 GMT

It seems another high-profile name is set to join the crowded race to be Toronto’s next mayor.Olivia Chow, a champion for the left and progressive politics first as a councillor and later as an MP, has scheduled an announcement at a downtown Toronto restaurant Monday morning where it’s expected she will officially enter the race. Chow teased last month she was strongly considering entering the contest to replace John Tory, but stood by as others signed up. #BREAKING: Olivia Chow to make an announcement tomorrow morning. She said she was "considering" running for mayor a few weeks ago. #TOpoli— Mark McAllister (@McAllister_Mark) April 16, 2023This would be Chow’s second run for mayor after coming up short almost a decade ago. She went into the 2014 campaign as the favourite against incumbent Rob Ford, who was eventually replaced by his brother Doug after his health deteriorated. However, over the course of that campaign, Chow’s momentum waned a...

Federal government restoring funding to Hockey Canada

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:28 GMT

The federal government is restoring funding to Hockey Canada, saying the organization has fulfilled conditions previously set out to retain financial support. Federal sports minister Pascale St-Onge made the announcement on Sunday ahead of the women’s world championship gold medal game between Canada and the United States in Brampton, Ont.“Today marks an important milestone for Hockey Canada in our journey to earn and maintain the trust of Canadians,” said The Hon. Hugh L. Fraser, chair of the Hockey Canada Board of Directors. “While I would like to thank Minister St-Onge and the government for their vote of confidence and for their ongoing efforts to prioritize safe sport in Canada, I also wish to stress that we still have work to do to change the culture of our sport.“This is a significant moment for the future of Hockey Canada, and hockey in Canada, as it will enable us to further our commitment to supporting all levels of the sport. We thank the Minister and the government...